Audit Report on North Korean GP Withdrawal Kept Secret

In a rare move, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has decided to keep the entire audit report regarding the Moon Jae-in administration's claim that 11 North Korean guard posts (GPs) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) were rendered inoperable completely confidential. This decision comes despite the BAI concluding that the government made false statements about the status of these GPs. Typically, audit reports are published in full on the BAI's website, with only sensitive national security details redacted.

On June 5, the BAI revealed that during a meeting on May 29, it voted to classify the report concerning the alleged inadequate verification of the North Korean GP withdrawal. Notably, a summary press release was also withheld from the media. Among the six audit committee members, half argued for public disclosure, but those appointed during the Moon administration, along with BAI Chairman Choi Jae-hae, supported the decision to keep it private, resulting in a 4-3 vote. Some members expressed concerns that releasing the report could negatively impact inter-Korean relations.

In 2018, the Moon administration signed the September 19 military agreement with North Korea, which included a plan for both sides to withdraw 11 GPs from the DMZ as a trial. However, the BAI's investigation revealed that the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) had previously warned that the North had more than double the number of GPs compared to the South, making equal withdrawals unwise. They also noted that if North Korea changed its stance after an equal withdrawal, it could leave the South at a disadvantage, complicating border operations. Despite these warnings, the Ministry of National Defense proceeded with the agreement, disregarding the JCS's concerns. The JCS even falsely reported to the United Nations Command that the withdrawal of the South's 11 GPs would not affect operational capabilities.

After both sides destroyed the above-ground facilities of their respective GPs at the end of 2018, the JCS confirmed that the crucial underground facilities of the North's GPs remained intact. However, it was found that the JCS manipulated the verification results to falsely claim that the North's GPs had been rendered inoperable.